Batting reinforced with knitting stitches and a device for preparing same from raw material as it comes from the carding machine



Sept. 29, 1942. u 2,297,440 BATTING REINFORCED W'ITH'KNITTING STITCHES AND A DEVICE FOR PREPARING SAME FR M-RAW MATERIAL AS IT COMES FROM THE CARDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l 28 WWW mvENToR= \OAN .SZUCS Sept. 29, 1942.

l. $2 I BATTING REINFORCED WITH KNITTING STITCHES AND A DEVICE FOR P REPARING SAME FROM RAW MATERIAL AS IT COMES FROM THE CARDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 9, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR \OAN .SZUCS RTTORNEYS= I. SZUCS ITTING STITCHES AND A DE 2,297,440 VICE FOR PREPARING ROM THE CARDING MACHINE BATTING REINFORCED WITH KN SAME FROM RAW MAT ERIAL Sept. 29, 1942.

3 Sheets-Sheet 5 AS IT COMES F Filed Aug. 9,

0 6 T a S WCMM um S A R N H W Patented Sept. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Ioan Sziics, Arad, Rumania; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application August 9, 1939, Serial No. 289,152 In Rumania August 11, 1938 10 Claims.

The present invention refers to a knitting device and method for preparing batting as used for linings, etc, reinforced with knitting stitches, said batting being prepared directly from raw material as it comes out from th carding machine. knitting device and method for the production of a reinforced batting which can be easily handled without being shredded, torn or distended, thus effecting a saving in machinery and labor as well.

The knitting device which binds and reinforces the batting according to the invention is applied particularly to the Raschel type batting making machine, which makes batting from spun and knitted threads, by replacing the present knitting system and using ordinary cotton thread for knitting through the batting. This device may in fact be fitted to a specially built machine or to one adapted to this purpose.

According to the basic principle of the invention the sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine in the desired thickness is passed over a set of knitting needles with single hooks, these needles having an individual rotating movement and collective ascending and de scending movement, which knitting needles during their descending movement grasp the threads situated above the loose material, these threads having such a movement as to cause each individual thread to encircle alternatively one hooked needle and the next one, so that each thread may alternatively twist around two adjacent needles, the hooked needles during their ascending movement having their hooks turned in the direction from where comes the sheet of loose material, while during their descent they are turned in the opposite direction, the hooked needles rotating through 180, the rotation of the needles being effected by means of twisted portions of the needle shafts, which twisted parts pass through the teeth of a comb having a vertical movement and through a part supporting the needles, which part has a vertical movement in order to raise and lower the needles, the movement of the comb and that of the part supporting the needles being of the knitting device, Fig. 2 shows a front view The object of the invention is to have a in elevation of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a view in perspective of the part supporting the knitting needles, Fig. 4 shows a view in the plane of the comb which causes the needles to rotate, Figs. 5 and 6 show a lateral and a front view of a needle with single hook. Fig. '7 shows a modified form of the mechanism for rotating the knitting needles. Figs. 8a, b show another modified form of the mechanism for rotating the knitting needles. Fig. 9 shows how the sheet of loose material comes out from the carding machine. Fig. 10 shows a piece of reinforced batting as it looks on its upper face where the knitting work appears like plain broken lines disposed along the chain of loops, while Fig. 11 show th under face of the sheet represented in Fig. 10 and it may be seen how the knitting work has the shape of chain loops disposed in a broken line along the loop chain as well as the manner in which the loops of adjoining chain rows interlock mutually. Figs. 12, 13 and 14 show the manner of work of the knitting needles in conjunction with the knitting threads. In Figs. 12 is shown the hook of the needle in the plate for the guiding of hooks at the moment the work begins or the hooked needle has descended pulling with it the chain loop, Fig. 13 shows how the thread is twisted around the raised needle in order to prepare the next loop, while Fig. 14 shows diagrammatically the course swinging to th right and to th left followed by the thread in order to twist alternatively around the adjoining needles.

As it may be seen from the drawings, in the device for the production of batting as per this invention the knitting needles I are free parts similar to the plain crocheting needles, each needle'having a housing 2 in which it can move and which is located in a supporting and guiding part 3, 31, 4 consisting of three pieces connected together with screws. Parts 3, 31 leave between them a groove 5 in which is inserted a wedge or fixing part 6 which goes through the necks 1 of needles I, so that once the needles have been placed into the said supporting part they stay there and can no longer move except for rotating. The rotation of the needles is effected by passing shaft 8 of same through the parallel teeth 9 of a comb II], which teeth when the lower end part I I twisted for 180 passes through them cause hooks I2 of needles 1 to rotate for 180.

The guiding part 3, 31, 4 is provided with as many channels 2 as there are needles I, according to the width of operation of the machine. It is attached by means of angle iron I3 on two sliding rods M, which rods travel in the bearings I 5 secured on frame III of the Raschel machine. On rods I4 are also fixed small wheels I6 which are operated by lever arms I I fitted to the Raschel machine, which arms are set in motion at the convenient moment by some cams of the Raschel machine (the end of the levers II only are shown in the drawings), pushing upwards small wheels I6 so that the guiding part bearing needles I is also lifted. The downward movement of rods I4 is limited'by the descent of arms II which are acted upon by the weight of the parts mounted on rods I4. Comb I!) is borne by arms I8 secured on rods I9 which travel in bearings 20 firmly attached on rods I 4. At the lower end of each rod I9 is located a small wheel 2| which turns freely on its axle and is pushed upwards by cam 22 fastened on shaft 23 set in motion through a chain-driven wheel or a set of gears 24 from the mechanism that drives the Raschel machine, so that at each complete rotation of shaft 23 cams 22 lift wheels 2| and thereby the rods I9 which bear comb III, thus causing knitting needles I to rotate for 180 when the teeth of the comb reach the twisted portions II so that their hooks I2 change their position. Shaft 23 is supported by bearings 25 which are attached in some known manner on rods I4 at their lower ends.

The ends provided with hooks I2 of needles I are located when at rest in holes 26 of a guiding bridge 261 over which bridge passes also the sheet of loose material during the work. The guiding bridge is secured on the Raschel machine frame by supporting corners I51 or the like which are fastened on said frame by means of screws I53, while said bridge is placed under the thread guides 21, whose number is higher by one unit than the number of needles I, as usual. The guides 21 guide threads 28 the work distributing the threads among the needles I. During the work each of the guides 27 perform an encircling movement over and around a needle I each causing the thread 28 to twist around the corresponding needle while the needles remain lifted above the guiding plate 261 (Figs. 12, 13), as in the usual way on a Raschel knitting machine. Each thread 28 is first twisted around a needle I (Fig. 14), then the loop is formed, afterwards it is twisted around an adjacent needle I1, a loop is formed here again, the third time it is twisted anew around needle I, the fourth time again around the adjacent needle I 1, and so on, thus linking with each new loop the chain of loops made by one needle with the chain of loops made by the adjacent needle in such manner as the chains are interconnected. This movement is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 14. The thread starts from point a, encircles needle I, arrives in b and stops for a moment, after which it starts again and arrives to its starting point a. For the second loop it starts from a, encircles the adjacent needle I 1, arrives in c and stops for a moment. starts again and returns to a from where it had started. These movements are re peated for each loop in part as described above. In fact in Fig. 11 is shown how the chain of loops 29 made by needle I is locked with the chain of loops 291 made by the adjacent needle I1, the chain of loops 291 with the loops 292 made by the adjacent needle I2, and so on.

The manner in which the device for knitting and preparing batting operates as per the present invention is described below:

In the initial position of the machine the needles I are retracted down so that their hooks are situated in the holes of plate 261 (Fig. 12). The thread guides 21 of threads 28 are in position toward the front of the machine (to the right in Fig. 2, downward in Fig. 14). Comb I0 lies at its downward end point, small wheels 2| are in contact with the circle shaped part of cams 22, so that the twisted portions II of the shafts of needles I are above the comb.

Threads 28 are brought and passed through guides 21, the ends 281, of the threads being 'made into a bundle and tied on to the drum (not shown in the drawing) which receives as usual the finished product. The sheet of loose material 29 as it comes from the carding machine is brought and placed over the guiding plate 261. The machine is turned by hand until the hooks I2 lifted by arms I I pushed by the corresponding cams come through the sheet of material 29 and then with a hat of any description the sheet is pounded down on the plate at the points where it has been lifted by the hooks when going up through it. Continuing to turn the machine now the threads 28 twist around needles I, I1, I2 respectively, following the course indicated in Figs. 13 and 14. In the meantime cam 22 is brought in a position to push small wheels 2| upwards, so that comb I9 is also lifted, thus forcing needles I by means of their twisted portions to rotate for that is to come with hooks I2 towards the front of the machine (Fig. 13). The rotation movement is now stopped and over the threads 28 is passed a head string 33 in front of needles I, so that when the next loops are made it prevents the sheet from being lifted. The machine is again set in motion, the corresponding cams let arms I! free which now by their descent cause hooks I2 at present turned towards the running direction of the sheet of material 29 to catch the threads, to pull them down thus forming the loops of the chains and to retract into the holes 26 of the guiding plate, without catching sheet 29 also. In the meantime cams 22 having also rotated comb I0 begins to descend until at the moment the needles have reached the end of their downward stroke their twisted portions II get between the teeth 9 of the comb thus forcing the needles to rotate for 180 in order to revert to their initial position, that is with the hooks turned in the direction from where comes sheet 29 (Fig. 12).

By continuing to turn the machine the operations shown, namely the lifting of needles I, the twisting of threads 23, the pulling of the loops and the rotating of the needles, are repeated exactly during this second operation cycle, but when the threads twist around the needles these catch string 30 under them and when the loops are pulled down the string remains locked in the second row of loops. Now the string 30 is cut at the ends extending beyond the width of sheet 29 and the machine may be mechanically operated, the operations of forming the loops continuing as described, with the differonce that after each row of loops the thread guides 21 are shoved to the left and to the right alternatively as previously stated in order that the adjacent threads may form the loop alternatively on one needle and on the adjacent one for the purpose of interlocking the adjacent rows of chains.

The guiding plate 261 is adjustable in height to suit the kind of knitting work and in order to vary the pressure of the loops on the material of the sheet to be worked on. To this end, the supporting corners of plate 26 are provided with slots I52 through which the fastening screws extend. Thus, for a loose knitting,

that is for a batting as loose as possible, plate greater force the threads so that the loops are tighter and the knitting work results tighter too. In this case the batting is more compact, therefore thinner, but at the same time stiffer. By accurately adjusting plate 261 it is possible to obtain batting as required by the work needs.

The twisted sections II which cause needles I to rotate when they pass between the teeth of comb ll! may be replaced through helical grooves 3| provided in the body of the needles I in which engages a stud 32 fixed on a part 33 which replaces comb II]. This part guides the shaft of the needle at its lower end where is located the groove 3| (Fig. '7). Another adequate method to cause the rotation of the needles for 180 would be, for instance, to provide the shafts of the needles in a convenient point with teeth 34 which would mesh with the teeth of a rack 35 (Figs. 8a, b) which may be displaced both ways transversely to the shafts of the needles by any known mechanical or conventional means, for a determined distance sufficient for rotating the needles for 180.

The knitting device according to the present invention may be used also for knitting various patterns on any fabric, cloth, etc. when ready woven, in order to adorn their aspect or mark them with various distinctive trade signs, etc.

It may equally be used, useless to say, with any other knitting machines from which it is possible to obtain the moving of levers l1 and wheel 24, or they may be fitted with another means of setting rods l4 and shaft 23 in movement. It may also be used even in connection with a special machine built for this purpose.

This knitting device can also produce knitted cloth which may be used for various works in the underwear and garment industry, etc. in the usually known manner.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A device for knitting reinforced batting as used for linings, etc. comprising a set of knitting needles with single catching hooks lodged in a supporting-guiding part which forces these needles to ascend and descend all at the same time, a toothed comb, said needles during their ascending and descending movement passing their lower ends through the teeth of said comb for an individual rotation through 180", the knitting needles being also provided at their lower ends with shafts having a section twisted through ing guiding part effective to force said needles to ascend and descend all at the same time, each needle having a shank at the lower part thereof, a supporting guide member for causing rotation of the needles through provided with means for guiding and engaging with the shank at the lower part of each needle, means having a helical portion upon the shank of each needle engaged by the means upon said supporting guide member and effective to cooperate therewith to cause the mentioned rotation through 180 of the needle shank and hook upon the needle in each case.

A device for knitting loose batting made from a sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine, used for lining and the like, applicable to the Raschel batting-making machine, comprising a set of knitting needles with single catching hooks lodged in a supporting guiding part effective to force said needles to ascend and descend all at the same time, each needle having a shank at the lower part thereof, a supporting guide member for causing rotation of the needles through 180, engagement means for engaging with the shanks of the needles, means upon the shank of each needle for engaging with said engagement means and effective to cooperate therewith to cause rotation of each shank through 180 and therewith alsosimultaneously rotation of the hook of each needle.

4. A device for knitting reinforced batting from a sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine, used for lining and the like, applicable to the Raschel batting-making machine, comprising a set of knitting needles with single catching hooks, lodged in a supporting-guiding part which forces these needles to ascend and descend all at the same time, a comb through the teeth of which the lower ends of the knitting needles during their ascending and descending movement pass for an individual rotation through 180, while during their descent they rotate through 180 pointing with the hooks to the direction where goes the sheet of loose material to be prepared, so that thehooks catch and pull the threads; thus forming the loops of the knitting work without pulling at the same time the fibres of the sheet of loose material to be prepared.

5. A device for knitting reinforced batting from a sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine, used for lining and the like, applicable to the Raschel batting-making machine, comprising a set of knitting needles with single catching hooks lodged in a supportingguiding part which forces these needles to ascend and descend allat the same time, a comb through the teeth of which the lower ends of the knitting needles during their ascending and descending movement pass for an individual rotation through 180, in which the knitting needles are held by a supporting-guiding part in which the knitting needles, provided with necks for their support. are held in place by means of a fixing part which passes through the necks of the knitting needles when these necks lie in front of the groove formed by the two parts of the supporting-guiding part, so that these knitting needles can no longer come out of from said guiding part but can rotate each in its housing in the supporting-guiding part.

6. A device for knitting reinforced biatting from a sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine used for lining and the like, applicable to the Raschel batting-making machine, according to claim 2 in which the knitting needles are formed at their lower end as a round shaft provided with a helical groove, which groove travels in channels made in a guiding support for the comb having Vertical movement, a stud being provided in each of these channels which penetrate into the said helical groove so that when the supportingguiding part rises the shafts of all the knitting needles change their position by rotating through 180 in order to change the position of the catching hooks of the same.

'7. A device for knitting reinforced batting from a sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine, used for lining and the like, applicable to the Raschel batting-making machine, according to claim 1, in which the supporting-guiding part of the knitting needles is supported by means of the arms of an angle iron by rods which slide in bearings fastened to the frame of the Raschel machine and have small wheels securely fixed thereon, the said supporting-guiding part being lifted or lowered for the ascending or descending movement of the knitting needles by the pressure and subsequent release exerted by certain arms of said Raschel machine which act upon small wheels fixed on said rods which slide in said bearingsl.

8. A device for knitting reinforced batting from a sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine, used for lining, applicable to the Raschel batting-making machine, according to claim 4, in which the guiding-support of the comb WhOSe teeth turn the knitting needles is supported by rods sliding in bearings fastened on the rods which support the supporting-guiding part of the knitting needles, which sliding rods are provided at their lower ends with small pushing wheels.

9 A device for knitting reinforced batting from a sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine, used for lining, applicable to the Raschel batting-making machine, according to claim 1, in which a number of bearings are firmly secured on the rods bearing the supporting-guiding part of the knitting needles at their lower end, an actuating shaft in said bearings is provided in front of the small wheels borne by the said rods with a number of cams which push the said small wheels in order to force the guiding-support of the comb to ascend from its initial position, thus acting upon the twisted sections of the knitting needles which are compelled to rotate through 180 in order to change the position of the catching hooks of the same.

10. A device for knitting reinforced batting from a sheet of loose material as it comes from the carding machine, used for lining, applicable to the Raschel batting-making machine, according to claim 1, comprising knitting needles with hooks passing through a guiding plate of these hooks, the position of the plate with respect toits height being adjusted, according to the degree of tightness desired for theknitting work, by changing the position of the plate on the Raschel knitting machine frame.

s-ziics, IOAN. 

